There is growing interest within the golfing industry to develop on-site
testing of turfgrass cultivars. This concept is not new, but has not
been a common practice in recent years. Therefore, the Golf
Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), United States
Golf Association Green Section (USGA), and the National Turfgrass Evaluation
Program (NTEP) have agreed to revitalize on-site testing of turfgrass
cultivars on golf courses, particularly on putting greens. This project
conducts evaluations of new bentgrass and bermudagrass cultivars on
USGA specification putting greens constructed at golf courses across
the country. This on-site testing program is designed to provide scientific
information of a more applied nature about putting green turfgrass cultivar
performance.

Information from this project is valuable to the golfing industry.
These studies will determine the adaptation of grasses for golf course
use. In addition, information obtained from on-site testing will be
of particular value to plant breeders, researchers, extension educators,
USGA agronomists, golf course architects, and superintendents, who need
to select the best adapted putting green cultivars for a particular
regional climate.

These cultivar evaluation trials are jointly sponsored and supported
by the GCSAA, USGA-Green Section, and NTEP. The USGA funded the construction
of USGA specification greens for the trials. Trial sites are located
on golf courses near a land grant university with a turfgrass research
program or in a major metropolitan area which is readily accessible
to a university turfgrass scientist. Sixteen (16) regional evaluation
trial sites have been established. Trials are located in: a) northern
locations for bentgrasses, b) southern locations for bermudagrass, and
c) transition zone locations for both species. Trials are located where
golfers practice putting and/or chipping. Host clubs provide daily maintenance
of the putting green site at their own expense.

Trial Specifics

The NTEP functions as the coordinating agent for the cultivar trials.
These trials are five years in duration. Trials are conducted under
mutually agreed upon guidelines, procedures, and funding outlined in
a research agreement agreed to and signed by the appropriate representatives
of GCSAA, USGA, and NTEP and each research cooperator (i.e. university
turfgrass researcher). Trials are conducted at each location under the
leadership of the assigned research cooperator. These persons are responsible
for establishing and conducting the trial, and collecting and transferring
the data to NTEP according to the research agreement.

Trials are maintained by the golf course superintendent at each location
using management procedures

common to their golf course, the geographical area and
in consultation with the research cooperator. No special management
practices are prescribed as these trials are intended to receive real-world
golf course conditions and stresses.

These trials are conducted principally with commercially available,
named cultivars. Experimental lines that will be commercially available
in the near future (i.e. before the end of the test cycle) were also
included in these trials at the sponsoring companys discretion.

The NTEP administers the program and its funding, sets the advisory
committee and gathers their input and recommendations for each species
trial. The NTEP organizes and distribute the seed and vegetative materials
which constitute the entries for each trial location. The NTEP provides
the maintenance and data collection protocols to each site; collects,
analyzes and disseminates the performance data in annual and final reports;
and conducts an annual site visit for each trial.